Cop tube driving connection



Nov. 18, 1958 J. v. KEITH 2,860,838

COP TUBE DRIVING CONNECTION Original Filed Jan. l5, 1953 n n a l r n v w'gm ,-7 80 94 Y INVENToR. JOHN V KLTH AT TORNE Y United States Patent O CP TUBE DRliVING CONNECTION John V. Keith, Warwick, R. I., assignor to Universal Winding Company, Cranston, R. I., a corporation of Massachusetts @riginal application January 15, 1953, Serial No. 331,358. Divided and this application May 29, 1956, Serial No. 588,084

28 Claims. (Cl. 242-463) The present invention relates to a machine for winding yarn and more particularly relates to such a machine incorporating means for initiating the winding of a c011- tinuously advancing strand of yarn and is a division of my copending application Serial No. 331,358, tiled Ianuary 15, 1953.

In the following specification and claims the term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand materials, either textile or otherwise, and the designation package is intended to mean the product of the winding machine whatever its form.

In the manufacture of yarn and more particularly in the manufacture of synthetic yarn the output of the spinning machine is a strand of yarn which is continuously advancing at a high rate of speed. One of the problems of synthetic yarn manufacture is to catch this running strand of yarn, secure it to the spindle of a winding machine that is to serve as the takeup of the strand, and place the winding machine in operation to wind the strand at the same rate that it is advanced by the spinning machine all while the strand is continuously running or advancing. All of this must be accomplished without permitting any slack or excess yarn to accumulate between the winding machine spindle and the spinning machine.

Heretofore the threading of the takeup Winder employed with synthetic yarn spinning machines has required great dexterity and skill by the takeup machine operator and has resulted in considerable waste yarn on every occasion when the threading up operation was improperly performed.

It is accordingly one object of the present invention to provide a winding machine having means for securing a continuously advancing strand of yarn to the spindle thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having means for automatically securing a continuously advancing strand of yarn to the spindle thereof.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a sectional view showing the spindle of the winding machine and the package holder thereon immediately prior to the release of said package holder to grip a package core; and

Fig. 2 isa View `similar to Fig. 1 but showing the package holder gripping the package core;

The present invention comprises a quick acting package holder carried Iby the winding spindle of a winding Patented Nov. 18, 1958 machine of the type described in United States Patent 2,608,355 issued August 26, 1952 to Charles C. Bell et al.

The forward end of spindle 20, of the winding machine, carries -a quick acting package core holder adapted to snap from its disengaged position into its core holding or locking position when said core is thrust thereupon to its normal running position. The core holder is also adapted to pinch the running strand of yarn between a portion thereof and the end of the package core when said core is in its normal running position to thereby attach said strand to the spindle to commence the winding operation. Referring now to Figs. l and 2 wherein there is disclosed one embodiment of the quick acting package core holder of the present invention. The package core 18 disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 is the conventionally used paper or fiber cone; however, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention disclosed therein can be employed to secure other typ-es of package cores to a spindle. The core holder of the present invention comprises a member 48 which is a frustum of a cone the taper of which is substantially the same as the taper of the bore of package core 18. Conical member 48 has a cylindrical bore 50 extending axially therethrough, said bore having a diameter greater than the diameter of the spindle 2t). Conical member 48 is xedly secure-d concentric with spindle 20 by means of a spacing bushing S2 and set screws 54. Bushing 52 is shorter than conical member 48 and, therefore, provides an annular space or recess 56 in the base of said conical member. yA plurality of equally spaced radial holes 58 extend through conical member 48 adjacent the base thereof and into recess 56, and each of said radial holes has -slidably journaled therein a core engaging finger 61'?. The outermost ends of fingers 60 are provided with a transverse slot to provide said ends with a pair of Asharpened core engaging prongs and to provide a groove in the outer ends of said lingers which is engaged by a spring ring 62 which functions to hold said fingers 60 in the radial holes 58 and to normally maintain them in a retracted lposition with their core engaging prongs below or ush with the surface of conical member 48. A collar 64 is slidably carried by spindle 20 in annular recess 56. Collar 64 is spring urged to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, by means of compression spring 66 also located in recess 56 and having one of its ends abut against bushing 52 and its other end abut against the innermost end of collar 64. A circumferential ridge 68 is formed on the periphery of coll-ar 64 adjacent its innermost end and functions as a cam to force lingers 60 radially outwardly to engage core 18 as `said collar is moved axially out of recess 56 under the influence of spring 66. A stop collar 78 is iixedly secured to spindle 20 adjacent the base of conical member 48 and functions as a stop to hold collar `64 Iagainst outward movement past the point where fingers 60 have been moved outwardly to engage core 18. The outer end of finger operating collar 64 is provided with a circumferential groove 72 which receives the lowermost end 74 of a lever 76 pivotally mounted on lug 78 projecting from the face of winding machine housing member It). 'It will be seen, therefore, that collar 64 can be .moved inwardly of conical member 48 to permit iingers 68 to be withdrawn by spring ring 62 by pivoting starting lever 76 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 to cause its end 74 to engage the innermost surface of groove 72 whereupon continued movement of said lever forces said collar 64 inwardly against the opposition of spring 66.

A sleeve-like member 80 is slidably journaled in an enlarged portion 82 of recess 56 and is spring urged inwardly of conical member 4S by means of a compression spring 84 one end of which abuts an inwardly extending flange 86 formed on member 80 and having its other end in engagement with an outwardly extending flange 88 on collar `64. The inner end of Sleeve-like member 80 S adapted, when fingers 60 are in their retracted position, to engage in notches 90 formed in the rearward side of said fingers 60 to hold said fingers retracted against the action of cam 68 and spring 66. The rearmost end of sleeve-like member 80 is provided with a flange 92 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the base of package core 18. Flange 92 is adapted to be engaged by the base of said core to pinch the running strand of yarn between said base and said fiange to thereby attach said strand to the winding spindle. Flange 92 also functions, upon being moved rearwardly by said core, as said core is pressed home upon conical member 48, to withdraw the forward edge of sleeve-like member 8f) from notches 90 to thereby release fingers 60 for outward movement to securely grip said core. When it is desired to release core 18 and the wound package it carries from spindle 20 starting lever 76 is pivoted in a clockwise direction to force collar 64 inwardly and to thus move cam 68 from under the innermost ends of fingers 60 whereupon spring ring 62 retracts said fingers to release said core. As soon as the notches 90 in fingers 60 come in alignment with the innermost cnd of sleeve-like member 80 compression spring '84 moves said sleeve-like member inwardly into said notches to thus effectively hold said fingers in their retracted position against the action of spring 66 and cam 68. Flange 92 is provided at its periphery with a forwardly extending flange or lip 94 adapted to overlay the base of core 18 to guide the running strand of yarn away from said base and onto said core. A guard 85 is located around spring 84 to prevent yarn from becoming entangled in said spring in the event the strand is not properly threaded through the machine.

The apparatus of the present invention functions in the following manner. Strand of yarn Y is positioned, by means of suitable guides, so that it extends across the face of flange 92 of the package holder. Starting lever 76 is swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to thereby retract core engaging fingers 60 and to lock them in their retracted position by means of sleeve-like member 80. The rotation of spindle 20 is started and package core 18 is then thrust upon the core holder to engage and move flange 92 rearwardly to thereby disengage sleeve-like member 80 from core engaging fingers 60 whereupon said fingers are forced radially outwardly to grip said package core and to rotate it with spindle 20. When the base of package core 18 contacts ange 92 and moves it rearwardly the running strand of yarn is pinched and held between said base and said flange so that said strand commences to wind upon said package core. When the winding of the package of yarn has been completed the spindle 20 is stopped in the conventional manner and handle 76 rotated in a clockwise direction to again retract core engaging fingers 60 whereupon the completed package can be removed.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said member having a radial hole formed therein, a core engaging finger in said hole and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, means urging said finger to said retracted position, finger moving means for shifting said finger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, and releasable means for holding said finger in said retracted position against movement by said finger moving means.

2. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said member having a radial hole formed therein, a core engaging finger in said hole and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, means urging said finger to said retracted position, movable nger moving means having a first position and a second position for shifting said finger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position when it is moved from said first position to said second position and for releasing said finger for movement to its retracted position when it is moved from said second position to said first position, manually operable means for moving said finger moving means to said first position, and releasable means for holding said finger in said retracted position against movement by said finger moving means.

3. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said member having a radial hole formed therein, a core engaging finger in said hole and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, means urging said finger to said retracted position, finger moving means for shifting said finger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, releasable means for holding said finger in said retracted position against movement by said finger moving means, and releasing means having a part thereof positioned to be engaged and moved by a core as it is placed over said core receiving member to release said releasable means.

4. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle Comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said member having a radial hole formed therein, a core engaging finger in said hole and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, means urging said finger to said retracted position, movable finger moving means having a first position and a second position for shifting said finger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position when it is moved from said first position to said second position and for releasing said finger for movement to its retracted position when it is moved from said second position to said first position, manually operable means for moving said finger moving means to said first position, releasable means for holding said finger in said retracted position against movement by said finger moving means, and releasing means having a part thereof positioned to be engaged and moved by a core as it is placed over said core receiving member to release said releasable means.

5. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said core receiving member having a recess therein and a radial hole extending therethrough into said recess, a core engaging finger in said hole and having one of its ends extending into said recess and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, resilient means urging said finger to said retracted position, finger moving means in said recess for shifting said finger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, resilient means urging said finger moving means in a finger extending direction, manually operable means for moving said finger moving means against the urging of said last mentioned resilient means, and releasable means for Vholding said finger in said retracted position against movement by said finger moving means.

6. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said core receiving member having a recess therein and a radial hole extending therethrough into said recess, a core engaging linger in said hole and having one of its ends extending into said recess and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, resilient means urging said linger to said retracted position, linger moving means in said recess for shifting said linger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, resilient means urging said linger moving means in a linger extending direction, manually operable means for moving said linger moving means against the urging of said last mentioned resilient means, releasable means for holding said linger in said retracted position against movement by said linger moving means, and releasing means having a part thereof positioned to be engaged and moved by a core as it is placed over said core receiving member to release said releasable means.

7. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said core receiving member having a recess therein and a radial hole extending therethrough into said recess, a core engaging linger in said hole and having one of its ends extending into said recess and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, resilient means urging said linger to said retracted position, cam means in said recess and engageable with the inner end of said linger for shifting said linger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, resilient means urging said cam in a linger extending direction, manually operable means for moving said cam against the urging of said last mentioned resilient means, and releasable means for holding said linger in said retracted position against movement by said cam.

8. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said core receiving member having a recess therein and a radial hole extending therethrough into said recess, a core engaging linger in said hole and having one of its ends extending into said recess and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, resilient means urging said linger to said retracted position, cam means in said recess and engageable with the inner end of said linger for shifting said linger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, resilient means urging said cam in a finger extending direction, manually operable means for moving said cam against the urging of said last mentioned resilient means, releasable means for holding said linger in said retracted position against movement by said cam, and releasing means having a part thereof positioned to be engaged and moved by a core as it is placed over said core receiving member to release said releasable means.

9. A core holder for use with a Winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said core receiving member having a recess therein and a radial hole extending therethrough into said recess, a core engaging linger in said hole and having one of its ends extending into said recess and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, resilient means urging said linger to said retracted position, cam means in said recess and engageable With the inner end of said linger for shifting said linger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, resilient means urging said cam in a linger extending direction, manually operable means for moving said cam against the urging of said last mentioned resilient means, releasable means for holding said linger in said retracted position against movement by said cam, and releasing means including a liange positioned to be engaged and moved by the base of a core as it is placed over said core receiving member to release said releasable means.

l0. A core holder for use with a Winding machine having a spindle comprising the combination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said core receiving member having a recess therein and a radial hole extending therethrough into said recess, a core engaging linger in said hole and having one of its ends extending into said recess and having an extended core engaging position and a retracted core disengaging position, resilient means urging said linger to said retracted position, cam means in said recess and engageable with the inner end of said linger for shifting said linger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position, resilient means urging said cam in a linger extending direction, manually operable means for moving said cam against the urging of said last mentioned resilient means, releasable means for holding said linger in said retracted position against movement by said cam, and releasing means including a liange positioned to be engaged and moved by the base of a core as it is placed over said core receiving member to release said releasable means, said liange being provided with an annular yarn guiding lip having a diameter suliicient to lit around said base of said core,

l1. A core holder for use with a winding machine having a spindle comprising the co-mbination of a member adapted to be carried by said spindle and to receive said core, said core receiving member having a recess therein and a radial hole extending therethrough into said recess, a core engaging linger in said hole and having one of its ends extending into said recess and having a notch formed therein intermediate its ends, said linger having an extended core engaging position wherein its other end projects above the surface of said core receiving member and a retracted core disengaging position wherein said other end is positioned beneath the surface of said core engaging member, resilient means urging said finger to said retracted position, annular cam means carried by said spindle for sliding movement thereon in said recess and engageable with the inner end of said linger lor shifting said linger from said retracted position to and holding it in said extended position when said cam is moved in one direction, resilient means urging said cam in its linger extendng direction, manually operable means for moving said cam against the urging of said last mentioned resilient means, releasable means for engaging said notch when said linger is in its retracted position to thereby hold said linger against outward movement by said cam, and releasing means carried by said releasable means and including a flange postioned to be engaged and moved by the base of a core as it is placed over said core receiving member to withdraw said releasable means from said notch.

12. ln a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a rotatable member, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, resilient means for moving said gripping means into contact with said yarn package support, means for releasably holding said gripping means in inoperative position, and means, operated by movement of the yarn package support as it is placed on said mandrel, for releasing said holding means so as to cause said gripping means to move into contact with said yarn tube.

13. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a member rotatable about an axis, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, resilient means for moving said gripping means into contact with said yarn package support, means for releasably holding said gripping means in inoperative position, and means, movable parallel to said axis and operated by movement of the yarn package support as it is placed on said mandrel, for releasing said holding means so as to cause said gripping means to move into contact with said yarn tube.

14. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a rotatable member, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, resilient means for moving said gripping means into contact with said yarn package support, means for releasably holding said gripping means in inoperative position, means, operated by movement of the yarn package support as it is placed on said mandrel, for releasing said holding means so as to cause said gripping means to move into contact with said yarn tube, and second resilient means adapted to oppose the movement ci said releasing means.

15. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a member rotatable about an axis, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, resilient means for moving said gripping means into Contact with said yarn package support, means for releasably holding said gripping means in inoperative position, and means, movable parallel to said axis and operated by movement oi the yarn package support as it is placed on said mandrel, for releasing said holding means so as to cause said gripping means to move into contact with said yarn tube, said releasing means including a skirt mounted for rotation about said axis and adapted tebe engaged and moved axially by one end of said support during said movement of said support.

16. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a rotatable member, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, resilient means for moving said gripping means into contact with said yarn package support, means for releasably holding said gripping means in inoperative position, means, operated by movement of the yarn package support as it is placed on said mandrel, for releasing said holding means so as to cause said gripping means to move into Contact with said yarn tube, second resilient means adapted to oppose the movement of said releasing means, and manually operable means for restoring said holding means to a position holding said first-mentioned resilient means in inoperative position.

17. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a member rotatable about an axis, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, resilient means for moving said gripping means into contact with said yarn package support, means for releasably holding said gripping means in inoperative position, means, movable parallel to said axis, operated by movement of the yarn package support as it is placed on said mandrel, for releasing said holding means so as to cause said gripping means to move into contact with said yarn tube, second resilient means adapted to oppose the movement of said releasing means, and means, operable by manual movement parallel to said axis, for restoring said holding means to a position holding said first-mentioned resilient means n inoperative position.

18. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a rotatable member, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, means for forcing said gripping means into engagement with an inner surface of a yarn package support, a spring for operating said forcing means, means for releasably holding said forcing means in inoperative position and means, operated by movement of the yarn package support as it is placed on said mandrel, for releasing said holding means so as to cause said gripping means to move into contact with said yarn tube.

19. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a rotatable member, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, means for forcing said gripping means into engagement with an inner surface of a yarn package support, a spring for operating said forcing means, locking means having a locking position in which it holds said forcing means inoperative and means for holding said locking means in said locking position, said latter holding means being adapted to be engaged by the yarn package support as it is placed over said mandrel and being movable by said support to a position permitting said locking means to move out of said locking position.

20. In a textile device, a mandrel for receiving a yarn package support, said mandrel including a rotatable member, gripping means mounted on said rotatable member, means for forcing said gripping means into engagement with an inner surface of a yarn package support, a spring for operating said forcing means, locking means having a locking position in which it holds said forcing means inoperative, means for holding said locking means in said locking position, said latter holding means being adapted to be engaged by the yarn package support as it is placed over said mandrel and being movable by said support to a position permitting said locking means to move out of said locking position, and restoring means, operatively connected to said locking means and said forcing means for returning said locking means to said locking position on movement of said forcing means back to its inoperative position against the urging of said spring.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,790 Stogner Nov. 15, 1932 2,036,121 Converse et al. Mar. 31, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 666,589 France May 27, 1929 231,693 Switzerland July l, 1944 

